mikebv

Stock Cars at the old track used to get around 4,000... Circa ten times a season.. The Aces were getting around 1000 to 1200, 18 times, or so, a season... How Speedway has fallen off over the past few decades.. With nothing tangibly done in that time, and even still today, to prevent further decline, sadly... I am sure Ipswich will still get a decent crowd tomorrow, as they do have a larger fanbase than most..

Well... If it's the Banger,World Final then UK Speedway's flagship meeting pales into insignificance....

Robert maybe less so, but Dan definitely, doesnt mix it anywhere close to the way both Zmarzlik and Lindgren do... That is why they consistently end up at the "sharp edge" of the meeting.. Jack Holder of the "young brigade" seems to be the one who isnt bullied by "close to the edge" racing and doesnt get intimidated when racing with Zmarzlik at close quarters like many do.. Fricke, for the first time, showed he can mix it when getting "Bartek Speared" on that 3rd turn, lap one, "nailing" that he does so often, so maybe that will give him greater confidence in being tougher generally going forward.. So many points that the likes of Zmarzlik, Lindgren and Doyle in particular score are down to simply 100% commitment to a gap that may, or may not, be there... Holder is definitely nearer those three now in his riding, and could be Zmarzliks biggest threat over the next few years..

And loads on here say the sport cannot afford a sqaud system...

Make it grippy.... Doyle and Emil ride anything well so won't be bothered and King will also like it... And the racing hopefully will be better for it... The Aces were poor last Monday but both sets of riders were well strung out in virtually every race regardless of finishing order... Good luck to Ipswich....

So much faster.... Wow... Generational talent... Could do seven, or even more...

One of those lads who always seems to give everything regardless of where he is riding... And enjoys what he does....

Not starting straight either.. Like he should be made to do....

Welcome to GP racing Luke....

He is Polish... Let's cut him some slack... Being Germany's bitch for 1000 years must have an impact and make you angry.....

Your English is very well...

Correct... Everyone knows its Shmarshlick...

Messrs Gordon and Morton based the NSS on a hybrid of Torun and Hyde Rd... Wise men..

Luke's master has just said... "Use the Force Kelvin, use the Force"....

It is the scorecard already planned in after Vojens.. Bartek ballsed it up... Like a Russian election night...

At least he hasn't called Luke, Boris yet....

No surprise so many teams in the UK reach finals with him riding for them... Love watching the fella...

Not sure he has it in him... Huge natural talent, and lovely lad, but too easily bullied by "lesser" riders.. Had a chance to nail Doyle in his first heat and didn't... Jack Holder appears much more aggressive on a bike...

Dan really doesnt have that "ruthlessness" to ever be World Champ... Doyle on Monday showed him what you need to be in Ht 15, and that was only in UK Speedway..

I love the way him and Dan conduct interviews as if English was their second language...

In 50m to make up 20m takes some special kit...

I bet he won't be taking Phil's methanol tonight...

Incredible speed differential over such a short distance... On pretty much the same equipment...

I would suggest it has quite a lot do with the way the sport is, and has been, ran.. Ice Hockey crowds as an example of a "small sport", averaged over 3100 a match last season.. Sheffield almost 7000.. A similar 3100 average crowd for Speedway and each meeting would generate £65k to £70k or so... If landlords had been getting £20k a night in rent, say 20 times a year, then I would suggest a lot more would have kept the sport at their venue.. As many mention on here, a lot of fans now go simply to watch the racing, rather than bother about the result too much, as, win or lose, you cannot help come away feeling many events are contrived in either a small way, or unfortunately at times, a much bigger way... Big sponsors too will never be engaged to join in if one of their riders are allowed to help a business rival"s team try to win the title, and, at the same time, reduce his own teams chances.. The play offs get "decent crowds" as so many "Speedway Fans" come out of the woodwork to watch them, however, many of these fans who will attend the play offs, wont regularly attend the weekly meetings at their local track, due to that unavoidable feeling that lots of those meetings do, more times than they should, feel "a bit Mickey Mouse"... The big positive though, which should be taken on board, is that the sport can still attract "decent crowds", on these occasions... They just need to find a way to get these people there more regularly.. And "if" the operating model is part of the problem, then a) find out the truth of if it is or not, and b) if so, change it..

Sometimes it is probably best that the sport gets hardly any mainstream coverage... And you can add Jack Smith riding against his parent club, and ultimately making a key difference for a team who he doesnt ride for, to the mix... As for Guests, a proper RR facility would cover a No1. The next two riders could take all his rides and still do their own and Ht 15.. Years ago a No1 scored a large % of the teams points, particularly in the 13 Ht era, meaning they were a big miss, now it is more shared around the team so less differential between HL's.. Still, we get to another season end, and this year two more have gone by the way side... Same old, same old, rinse and repeat... Works so well doesnt it?